The Supervillain Management Bureau discovered that a key villain had gone missing from the universe designated Earth 666.
After an urgent investigation, they found that a villain in Gotham named the Joker had disappeared.
He was an absolutely crucial villain. Without him, the entire universe would veer into an unknown storyline.
So the Supervillain Management Bureau dispatched its [Villain Development System] overnight, sending it to Gotham to find a supervillain who could fill the Joker's vacancy.
System 222 was given the mission in a crisis.
It carefully analyzed the files of everyone in Gotham, then selected a promising candidate for the role of supervillain.
It's you, Bruce Wayne!
Bruce, AKA Batman: Me?
System 222 thought it was a genius. It had effortlessly picked such an outstanding supervillain candidate.
First, every supervillain needed a tragic backstory.
Bruce: ...
System: Sob, Host, you've suffered so much.
Second, a supervillain had to harbor profound darkness deep inside.
Bruce: Uh...
System: Stop pretending, Host. I can sense the darkness in your heart. It's so dark, as dark as DC itself.
Third, every supervillain needed an evil organization.
Bruce: ...Wayne Enterprises?
System: Terrifying. An evil capitalist!
Fourth, a supervillain had to spend every day figuring out how to deal with superheroes.
Bruce: (Hides his plans targeting Superman next door, along with the kryptonite.)
System: Host, you're so dedicated.
Fifth, the System looked up the villain files on Bruce Wayne in other universes.
System: Terrifying. Truly terrifying. Especially the green-eyed one. Host, you really are a villain chosen by fate.
Bruce: ...Fine.
And so,
Bruce Wayne was chosen by System 222 as the supervillain of Earth 666.
Bruce began living a double life, playing the Joker by day and Batman by night, seven days a week.
Much later, after Earth 666 had become infamous for its strangeness throughout the parallel worlds,
something still didn't seem quite right.
The Supervillain Management Bureau finally remembered to check on System 222.
Then the bureau let out a piercing shriek
[Reader's Guide]
1. A lighthearted comedy. Bruce is forced to play two roles, and without the Joker, there won't be so many tragedies.
2. Bruce doesn't actually turn into the Joker, and this isn't a Laughing Batman storyline. He's only pretending, to get information from the System and keep the universe stable.
3. The System is a real dummy. It has no idea Bruce is Batman. Batman's identity isn't revealed until later.
4. There are rumors of BatBruce, SuperBat, and so on, but there is no pairing in the story.
5. Inspired by the comics, cartoons, and games. The timeline is a mess, logic is dead, and out-of-character behavior warning.
6. Inspired by the Absolute Universe, where the Joker became a wealthy man. If he can do it, then Bruce Wayne can be the Joker too. (Please don't kill me.)
Theme: Building a better Gotham
